Earl Boykins to be cut by Virtus Bologna

[Andrew]

Story @ RealGM

Virtus Bologna will reportedly cut former NBA guard Earl Boykins, according to Talk Basket.net.

"The player has asked us 4 days of holiday, but we did not give them to him," Claudio Sabatini, president of Virtus announced Friday. "However, he decided to fly to US today. This is an unacceptable behavior."

It doesn't sound like they were too impressed with the way he carried himself, though you have to wonder about the other side of the story. With the reports of various Euroleague players not being paid, I can't help but wonder if there wasn't something else going on which led Boykins to be less co-operative and if so, whether shortchanging players is considered an acceptable business practice.

At any rate, I guess he might cast his eye back to the NBA now, though I'm not sure how much interest there would be and I can't imagine he'll be getting the kind of money he seems to be after. If it wasn't there this past offseason, I doubt it'll be there now, especially with so many teams looking ahead to the offseason of 2010.

[Fcuk Orlando]

Thats a shame It was proably his last chance at getting good play time and a considerable amount of chash

[Clueminati017]

Wait... Didn't that club paid him more than Carlos Arroyo? Although, at the same time he has to respect the business on what the basketball club has in their countries. Of course they're not going to find that tolerable or unacceptable where he's over 100,000 miles away from his love ones.

[Andrew]

I think so, I seem to remember something about him becoming their highest paid player.

[NovU]

damn... his denver days were like yesterday. i wish the best luck for this little guy.

[Kenny]

Hope to see him back in the NBA, he's a badass

[kevC]

Wait... Didn't that club paid him more than Carlos Arroyo? Although, at the same time he has to respect the business on what the basketball club has in their countries. Of course they're not going to find that tolerable or unacceptable where he's over 100,000 miles away from his love ones.

Really? 100,000?

[Jackal]

Silly asians and their numbers...

[kevC]

Asian? Tehe.

It's not even just numbers, it's just so ridiculous how people could not know how big the earth is. The U.S. education system is failing us. Unless he was using a hyperbole. It's almost as ridiculous as that guy who didn't know why he had foreskin.

[Jackal]

The U.S. education system is failing us.

It's not the US Education system, it's the world common sense system. Everyone seems to be a moron now days. It stems from home, school and regular surroundings.

Besides, looking for intelligence in these parts of the internets? Come on.

[shadowgrin]

"They have the internet on computers now?"

[Clueminati017]

The U.S. education system is failing us.

Are you serious? You just can't come out and blame the U.S. education system where countries overseas are twice as advanced. Wow. I mean you got to first start off with the child's demeanor on the reason why they don't go to school? Now, I may not be the human Census Bureau walking this earth, but it comes to the fact that the education standards are unequal between the public schools and private schools. Just like advance math where high school students in public schools are taking Math 101 college preparation classes, and some private schools are taking Math 102 or another foreign language that's not Spanish. Also, you got to look at on the school dropout rate where some students wants to chase money, and while the female students have to dropout because they're pregnant at a early age where it's hard for them to balance. Overall. Just don't point the finger on the U.S. education system where the "No Child Left Behind" Policy was very long overdue, and it's some times too late for them to save the kid on dropping out. Everyone knows that the education system is garbage, and you look at these highly prestigious schools like Yale cutting down their tuition cost due to economic failures. Once again. I have my views, you have your views, and everyone else have their views of the failures of the economy and education system.

I'm just saying....

Don't point the finger on the U.S. education, but look at the child's demeanor on why they dropped out. Because I can tell you my story on why I almost dropped out of high school, and it's pretty much stereotypical along with the reason why my cousin dropped out in the 9th grade and where he's at now along with his best friend.

[puttincomputers]

the us education system has failed due the crazies in washington who think its evil spank a child.

[kevC]

The U.S. education system is failing us.

Are you serious? You just can't come out and blame the U.S. education system where countries overseas are twice as advanced. Wow. I mean you got to first start off with the child's demeanor on the reason why they don't go to school? Now, I may not be the human Census Bureau walking this earth, but it comes to the fact that the education standards are unequal between the public schools and private schools. Just like advance math where high school students in public schools are taking Math 101 college preparation classes, and some private schools are taking Math 102 or another foreign language that's not Spanish. Also, you got to look at on the school dropout rate where some students wants to chase money, and while the female students have to dropout because they're pregnant at a early age where it's hard for them to balance. Overall. Just don't point the finger on the U.S. education system where the "No Child Left Behind" Policy was very long overdue, and it's some times too late for them to save the kid on dropping out. Everyone knows that the education system is garbage, and you look at these highly prestigious schools like Yale cutting down their tuition cost due to economic failures. Once again. I have my views, you have your views, and everyone else have their views of the failures of the economy and education system.

I'm just saying....

Don't point the finger on the U.S. education, but look at the child's demeanor on why they dropped out. Because I can tell you my story on why I almost dropped out of high school, and it's pretty much stereotypical along with the reason why my cousin dropped out in the 9th grade and where he's at now along with his best friend.

Huh? Who said anything about dropping out? I was merely commenting on how Americans don't have any common sense when it comes to anything geography.

[Jackal]

Atleast he told us a cute story.

[Clueminati017]

I just wanted to say that.

[shadowgrin]

All of you guys just saved a kitten from dying.

[Andrew]

Getting back to Boykins, I thought he (or perhaps his agent) would have offered some comment on the situation, a rebuttal to Sabatini's claims or some form of excuse or counter-accusation.

[Clueminati017]

My question is.

Is it right trying to go against the Basketball Club. The club who offered you more than Carlos Arroyo in Maccabi Tel Aviv just because you can't go home for the holidays?

Their seasons are shorter than the NBA, and he can take his break to go back home before practice sessions starts back up. I know it's the holidays, but he was assigned to do a job for them.


$3.5 million signing deal


He's basically the highest paid player in Italy. So, would you leave or go against the basketball club because of that? With that offer I'm calling my fam Happy Holidays over the phone, and see them in the off-season.

[Andrew]

In all fairness, I'd have to say no. It's like any other job, you have certain obligations and you can't take time off without the approval of your employer (putting aside special circumstances and provisions). But if there is another side to the story, I wonder what it is because it would make Boykins' handling of the situation more understandable.

For example, if he's having similar problems with being paid as other Euroleague players have reportedly experienced with their respective teams, then the club isn't really doing the right thing by him and living up to their contractual obligations so he might feel that they're breaking the contract so he won't honour his obligations either. I'd also be interested to know whether other players on the team are or were granted time off, if that's the case then it's understandable he'd be upset that he's not entitled to the same consideration. It doesn't make what he did right per se, but if there's more to the story then his decision might at least be more understandable.